Air control for hydrocarbon-burners.



l w. M. KIMBERLIN.

AIR CONTROL FOR HYDROCARBON BURNERS. APPLICATION FILED NOV. I8, |914'.

1 ,l 89,366. N Patented July 4, 1916.v

WINFIELD M. KIMBERLIN, 0F SAN PEDRO, CALIFORNIA.

AIR CONTROL FOR HYDROCARBON-BURNERS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 4, 1916.

Application filed November 18, 1914. Serial No. 872,778.

in Air Control for Hydrocarbon-Burners,

of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a device for controlling the supply of air to hydro-carbon burners. j

It is the object of ythis invention to provide an attachment for fire boxes and the like, whereby the admission of air theretov may be regulated and directed in various relations to a hydro-carbon burner therein, and whereby the flames generated by the burner may be directed so as to intensify the heat in different portions of the iire box, as desired.

Another object is to provide means for directing the How of air into the fire box on a plane above the burner, in which the vplane of the inflow of the air can be adjusted to vari-ous levels.

Another object is to provide means for vdirecting' the inflowing current of air downwardly at various angles in relation to the burner, and to also provide separate means lfor directing the ow of air horizontally in relation to the burner. Y

A further object is to provide a verticallyswinging deiectorplate for controlling the air inlet to the fire box, together with means 4for adjusting and retaining the deflectorvplate in various inclinations.

v j The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective View of,a cook stove or range 'illustrating the invention as applied: Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail vertical section on line`2-2 of Fig. 1, as seen in j the direction indicated by the arrows. Fig. *3 is a horizontal section and plan view as seen' on the line 3 3 o- Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail section on the line 4 4 of '.Fig. 8, illustrating the manner of adjusting fthe position of thevertically swinging de- Hector-plate. Fig. 5 is a detail inplanv of the interior of the fire-box, showing the arcuate adjustable baiiie plate. Y

. More specifically, 10 indicates' the irebox or combustion chamber, Vwhich is provided `withI front and rear walls 11 and 12, top fjand bottom walls 13 and 14, and end walls j j V 15 Yand 16, ofanylsiiitable construction; the

back wall 12 having an opening 17, leading to or communicating with a ilue or stack 18. The bottom 14 of the re box 10, is closed throughout its area except at its central point, where it is ormedjwith an aperture 19 through which an air inlet tube 20 extends; the upper edge of the tube terminating on a plane above the floor level of the bottom 14 to form an annular Harige around the aperture 19, the opposite end of the tube 20 opening to aV space 21 formed beneath the' bottom 14 and communicating with the atmosphere through a dampered air inlet opening 22. Extending through the air inlet tube 20, is a burner nozzle 23, which connects with any suitable vsource of hydro-carbon supply at its lower end, and is arranged with its discharge end opening vertically to the irebox 10 in close proximity to the bottom 14.

YSurrounding the nozzleV 23 in the fire box 10, is a concave generating pan 24, having a downwardly-extending annular flange 25, which abuts against and is supportedupon the lire box bottom 14. The pan 24 is aiiixed to the nozzle 23 in any desired manwardly over the rear walls of the flange 25.

This heat insulating material 26 and the annular flange 25 are formed with registering openings 27, which form communications between the space beneath the pan 24 i and the interior of the fire box 10, for the admission of a suicient quantity of air in the fire box 10 to create a circulating air current beneath the pan 24 and around the burner nozzle 23, to act as a cooling agent v on the nozzle, and at the same time direct a small volume of superheated air upwardly around the edges of the pan 24.

Formed in the outer wall 11, is an air'inlet opening 28,- which is preferably rectangular vin form and arranged with its lower edge fon a plane above the bottom 19 of the fire box 10. Y

The essence of the present invention re- 'sides inv a means for regulating and controlling the inflow and admission of v'air to the fire box 10, thro-ugh the inlet opening 28,

by means of'which the plane of the, inflowing current of air may be varied in relation l 1 to the burner nozzle 23, and whereby the current of air may be directed downwardly and laterally in relation to the burner.

The means for controlling the plane of the inflow of the air current comprises a plate 29, mounted for ,vertical adjustment on the outer face of the wall 11, beneath the air inlet opening 28; the plate 29 being formed with a vertically extending slot 30, through which a threaded stud 31, carried by the wall 11, extends. It will be noted that the area of the opening 28 is dependent upon the position of the plate 29 which latter is adjustable as before stated. The stud 31 is adapted to receive a wing nut 32, provided to engage the marginal edges of the slot 30, to clamp the plate 29 against the wall 11 and to retain it in any desired vertical position. The upper edge of the plate 29 is turned inwardly into the opening 28, and carries a horizontally extending pivot pin 33, on which a plate 34, is pivotally mounted; the plate 34 extending into the fire box 10 and adapted to be positioned at various inclinations and retain any of its adjusted positions vby reason of its frictional engagement with the pivot pin 33. The plate 34 serves as a guide to direct the lower portion of the volume of air passing through the opening 28 at various inclinations in relation to the burner 23.

A plate 35 is pivoted on the pin 36 for adjustment. As a means for adjusting the plate 35 and retaining it in its adjusted position, a bracket 36 is attached to the plate 35 adjacent its upper edge and near one end thereof, the brackets 36 extending through the openino- 28 and having a loop 37 on its outer end, to which a depending resilient arm 38 is attached. A counter-weight 39 is mounted on the lower end of the resilient arm 38, which approximately balances the duplicate plate 35. Mounted on the wall l1 and adapted to engage the resilient arm 38, is a hook or bracket 40, which is open at one end to receive the resilient arm 38; the arm 38 being designed to be depressed under tension with the counter-weight 39 abutting against the outer face of the wall 11 when engaged with the bracket 40 to effect the locking connection between the bracket 40 and the arm 38, whereby the latter will be securely held against movement.

As a means for directing the inflow of air horizontally, a pair of vertically-disposed plates 41 and 42 are pivotally connected at 43 and 44, to the inner face of the wall 11, at the opposite vertical edges of the opening 28; the plate-s 41 and 42 being of a height vapproximating the height of the opening 28.

These plates 41 and 42 may be swung horizontally on their pivots 43 and 44 respectively with whichY they are frictionally engaged. When the plates 34 and 35 are positioned clear of the upper and lower edges of the plates 41 and 42, the latter may be swung inwardly toward each other to concentrate the delivery of the inflowing air to the burner nozzle, as indicated by the dotted lines a in Fig. 3; an elongated, vertically extending air inlet opening being thus formed adjacent the burner 23. By this arrangement the flame from the burner 23 can be concentrated to the central portion of the fire box 10. Then it is desired to spread the flames the side plates 41 and 42 may be moved to extend away from each other, as indicated by the dotted lines b in Fig. 3, in which position they will be disposed out of the paths of travel of the plates 34 and 35, which may then be adjusted at various inclinations in relation to each other to form an elongated, horizontally-extending air inlet opening of any desired area, which will serve to cause the flames to be spread horizontally throughout the fire box 10.

As a means for effecting a further distribution of the flames within the fire box 10, the

latter may be provided with a baffle plate 45, which is here shown as arcuate in form and removably mounted in the fire box l0; the baille plate 56 being adapted to be supported on the bottom 14 of the fire box and positioned rearward of the burner plate 24 in front of the rear wall l2. By adjusting the baffle plate 45 in relation to the burner nozzle 23, the names from the burner nozzle directed rearwardly by the inrush of air through the opening 28, may be directed upwardly into the upper portion of the fire box either at a point close to the burner or remote therefrom by varying position'of the baffle plate 45.

In the operation of the invention any suitable hydro-carbon fuel is delivered to the burner nozzle 23 in regulated quantities, where it is ignited and burned in the presence of such air as is admitted through the apertures 27 and opening 28.A By adjusting the positions of the plates 29, 34, 35, 41 and 42, either' separately or collectively, the volume and velocity ofthe air admitted to the lire box 10, through the opening 28, may be regulated according to the character of the hydro-carbon fuel employed, the nature of the draft induced in the stack 18 and fire box 10, and the portion ofthe re box to which it is desired to direct the flames generated by the burner nozzle 23. By thus regulating the intake of air in the fire box, a high degree of combustion of the hydrocarbon fuel is insured, thus enabling the generation of a maximum degree of heat with a minimum consumption of fuel.

What I claim is:

1. In an air inlet controlling device for fire boxesthe combination with a fire box wall having an air inlet opening therein, of a plate slidably mounted on the exterior of the lire box for vertical adjustment,

whereby the plane of the lower edge of the opening may be varied, and a pivoted deflecting plate carried by said vertically adjustable plate extending through the air inlet opening and adapted to be adjusted at various inclinations within the fire box.

2. In an air inlet controlling device for lire boxes, the combination with a fire box wall having an air inlet opening therein, of a plate slidably mounted on the exterior of the fire box wall for vertical adjustment, whereby the plane of the lower edge of the opening may be varied, a pivoted deecting plate carried by said vertically adjustable plate and extending through the air inlet opening to be adjusted at various inclinations within the fire box, and a vertically adjustable deflecting plate arranged at the upper edge of the air inlet opening, coperating with the first-named deilector plate to direct the iow of air at Various inclinations into thefire box.

3. In an air inlet controlling device for lire boxes, the combination with a fire box wall having an air inlet opening therein, of a plate substantially equal in length to said air inlet opening, ineans adjustably connecting said plate to the exterior of the lire box wall whereby the plate may be moved across the opening to diminish the size thereof, a pivoted deiiecting plate carried by said adjustable plate and adapted to be adjusted at various inclinations within the fire box, and an adjustable deflecting plate coperating with the first-named deflecting plate to direct the iniow of air at various inclinations into the fire box.

In witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my naine this 5th day of November, 1914.

WINFIELD M. KIMBERLIN.

Vitnesses:

JAMES M. ABBE'r'r, MARGUERITE BATES.

copies ot this patent may be obtained for ave cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Intenta.

' Washington, D. c. 

